1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved termination connector for an incoming cable and distribution wires of a voice, data, or integrated voice/data communications system, and in one aspect to an improved structure affording ease in the use of the connector and for connecting conductors in a form such that the connector restricts inadvertent shorting of elements and it allows tests to be made easily on the conductors to test the operation of equipment such as a telephone to determine the source of any problems or where a break might occur in the line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Termination and distribution connectors have been in use in the communications industry for a long time to afford rapid connection of distribution wires to a pair of wires of an incoming or outgoing cable. The systems are built for use with pairs of wires. Wire pairs are joined to at least one other pair to perfect the transmission. Also, it is very necessary that the splice between one pair and the other pair be readily accessible to disconnect, change or rearrange the connections.
Prior devices have been available to make such splices and to permit the rearrangement of the conductors. Examples of such prior art connectors include U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,857, showing a connector having an improved clamping element to secure a wire to a connector for connection by a setting tool. The connector of the present device is a substantial improvement over the connector of the '857 patent in that the body of the connector is provided with a 5-pair length, bluntly pointed members project from the body to define the areas for connecting pairs of wires, and strain relief channels are formed in the body to capture the unattached wires and to maintain the attached wire in place. The connector of the present invention also has improved contact elements which are received in the body of the connector from the bottom.
One form of contact element, formed of appropriate conductive resilient spring-type material, provides a current path that can be broken by separation of two spring contacts which are normally in contact between the pairs of U-slot spring reserve insulation piercing contacts. A second form maintains a current path between the U-slot spring reserve contacts but allows a test probe to be inserted between a pair of spring contacts. Contacts which perform the same function, i.e. parallel or series contact with a test probe, are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,103. The differences are not in functions but in the improved construction of the contact elements and their relationship to the connector support structure.
The blocks of the connector of the present invention permit the same to be formed in any number of elements on a frame.
It is the object of the present invention to provide devices according to this invention which have a contact affording a make-before-break contact feature which will permit the test probes to look both ways along the conductors from the contact. Secondly, the contact element will permit the test probe to be inserted into the line without interruption of the normal splice at the contact between the conductors.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide a cross-connect terminal connector for 10-pair, 20-pair 25-pair, or 50-pair of communication wires.